Jurgen Klopp had Liverpool argument that left coach ‘really upset’ and threatened to quit

former assistant has claimed tempers flared between the two after a difference in opinion over one of Anfield’s most-adored stars. Pepijn Lijnders, Klopp’s former No. 2 at Anfield, was keen to promote to the first-team before the 2022-23 campaign after overseeing the youngster’s performances at youth level and in cup competitions. Lijnders revealed that he made an impassioned plea to his boss to consider keeping Bradley, but Klopp insisted that the youngster would benefit more from a loan spell where he is playing regularly than joining up with ‘s squad.

And Lijnders, who was recently dismissed as head coach of Salzburg, recalled how the disagreement over Bradley sparked a heated discussion with Klopp. “I remember that I really fought, proper fought, for Conor to be our No. 2 behind Trent,” said Lijnders in the four-part documentary ‘Doubters To Believers FC: Klopp’s Era’. “I was really trying to keep him in the club because I believed that he would already be ready at that time. The club made the decision together with Jurgen get him out on loan, and it really, really upset me a lot. There was hard, hard words and it was probably one of the only confrontations I had with Jurgen. He won’t remember it anyway but I remember it.”

Klopp may well be entitled to believe his decision reaped some rewards for , as Bradley returned to Anfield an improved player following a successful loan spell with Bolton Wanderers. He made 53 appearances and scored seven goals, as well as winning the EFL Trophy and earning the League One club’s player of the year award.

Bradley was used intermittently last season to help keep fresh and has continued to play a prominent role in the squad under Slot, with 45 appearances overall for since his debut. And with doubts circulating over Alexander-Arnold’s future at the club, Bradley, 21, will be primed to take his role at right-back should the England star leave for Real Madrid on a free transfer, with his contract due to expire in June.

It wasn’t the first time that Lijnders and Klopp had shared differing opinions on how the squad should be managed. The Dutchman previously said he pleaded with Klopp to trial Alexander-Arnold in a hybrid midfield role due to his influence in their attacking play and even vowed to give him “all my f***ing salary” to make it happen.

He told Redmen TV that he would be “done” if the switch wasn’t put in place, explaining: “My idea constantly was: the best No. 6 I had in the U16s was . It’s not to only have extra players inside, to have four here (in the midfield), to have the same as what Bobby Firmino did. But it’s also to have Trent in a position where the ball can fly from left to right. What I said constantly to Jurgen was: ‘We have to do it.’

‘But Pep, blah blah blah” [Klopp complained]. “We have to do it.” Until I was so sick of it that I went to Jurgen in this office and said: ‘Jurgen, next year you can f****** have all my f****** salary. If we don’t do it in the next game, it’s done for me. I can’t’.”

Eventually, Alexander-Arnold took up the dual role as a right-back and stepped into midfield, a role he also took on during his international duty with England.

Lijnders was often hailed as an influential figure behind the scenes and played an important role in helping Klopp find extra margins to challenge in the Premier League and Europe. After arriving in 2014 as a youth coach, he was bumped up to the senior setup to work alongside Klopp when the German was hired in 2015.

The pair both departed in June after Klopp stepped down from his role as head coach, with given carte blanche to bring in his own team. And while Lijnders’ importance as a right-hand man was unquestionable, his foray into management didn’t go to plan – having been sacked only six months into his reign with Salzburg.